1. Field of the invention
The invention relates to a fishing reel having a spool receiving a fishing line thereon, and a method of braking the spool when slack occurs in the fishing line running from the spool as the fishing line is paid out therefrom.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is a previously known technique to control braking the rotation of a spool when the fishing line is being paid out therefrom by using a line tension sensor operatively connected to a brake mechanism and actuated by slack occurring in the fishing line. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,205,641, 2,262,462 and 5,289,992 disclose reels having a brake shoe which is biased to engage a brake disc or brake drum by means of a spring and operates as a friction brake and which is disengaged from the brake disc or the brake drum, respectively, by a line tension sensor connected to the brake shoe when the fishing line running from the spool in contact with the sensor is taut. Should the fishing line slack when the spool is rotating in the pay out direction the brake shoe will be engaged for frictional braking of the spool in order to prevent backlash. Backlash is the situation in which a great number of loose fishing line windings form on the spool and lead to a tangling of the fishing line. The line tension sensor described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,205,641 includes two bars positioned parallel to each other and interconnected by end pieces. The line tension sensor is mounted for pivotal movement about the axis of one of the bars. The fishing line passes the line tension sensor at the lower side of the one bar and through a slot formed by the other bar.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,609,684 discloses a brake mechanism for a fishing reel wherein a brake shoe which is spring biased to wedging engagement with a brake drum on the spool allows rotation of the spool in the pay out direction but not in the wind up direction. When the fishing line is taut, a line tension sensor, actuated by the fishing line, disengages the brake shoe from the brake drum to allow rotation of the spool in the wind up direction. Should the fishing line slack when being wound up, the spool is stopped abruptly by the brake mechanism which, however, has no influence on the spool when it is rotating in the pay out direction.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,326,645 discloses a brake mechanism for a reel having a brake shoe that is spring biased to effect its wedging against a brake drum connected with the spool when the spool is rotated as the fishing line is paid out. When the fishing line is taut, the brake shoe is lifted from the brake drum by the line tension sensor, actuated by the fishing line, so the spool can rotate freely in the pay out direction. If the fishing line should slack when being paid out, the brake operates and abruptly stops rotation of the spool.
The line tension sensor controlled wedge brake mechanisms used in prior art reels in order to stop the rotation of the spool when the outrunning fishing line is slacking have been too sensitive and have prematurely and abruptly stopped the spool when slack initially occurs in the fishing line. Moreover, conventional line tension sensor controlled friction brake do not operate sufficiently rapidly and are not sufficiently effective in preventing backlash.
Another problem in connection with prior art line tension sensor controlled brake mechanisms is that the brake mechanism is affected by vibrations of the fishing rod so that the brake mechanism can engage the brake drum when this is not called for in order to avoid backlash. A further problem with the prior art is that a fishing line consisting of a mono line passing over the line tension sensor and being bent over the sensor produces a resistance to the unwinding of the fishing line from the spool.
Positioning the line tension sensor downstream from a level line guide has also been a problem associated with conventional reels. The line tension sensors of these reels do not allow for smooth uninterrupted movement of the line between the reel and the fishing rod.